Those Wild Claims!

It seems as though almost every maker of almost everything is resorting to claims of how great their products are and why you should buy them.

There are the myriad weight loss products and each of them promises to make you lose those unwanted pounds. They all make it sound as though all you need to do is use the product and the weight will come off 'guaranteed'! But if you read the instructions you will find that in order for this product to really work, you need to follow the 'included diet plan' and 'get regular exercise'. Now maybe I am missing something here, but if you follow a diet and get regular exercise, why would you need their product?

If you haven't been annoyed by all those NutriSystem ads, lucky you! They promise you will lose weight by eating their 'delicious' meals and if you order NOW, you will get two weeks of food free. (Nothing is free if you have to buy something to get it.) Well, my theory about this and others of a similar nature is you spend all your food money on this product, it tastes so bad you can't eat it, so you lose weight. It seems as though I may be right according to someone else on 28 Days of NutriSystem.

A follow up for the above, NutriSystem: Day 5

One of the wildest claims I've seen in quite a while is for a 'memory pill'. This pill is so wonderful, it stops Alzheimer's in its tracks. It will make your memory so much sharper it's amazing! This pill will make you 33% smarter and even wake up 'dead' brain cells. I received a brochure in the mail for this fantastic pill. I can order a six month supply for only $269.70! Uh huh.

You can't read a magazine or watch TV without seeing commercials for extremely high priced medications. They are supposed to help you get better from conditions ranging from insomnia, 'restless leg syndrome', tummy aches and allergies to name just a few. Some of them are advertising products that would have been censored when TV was young. (I wish it was still like that!)

They show happy folks who have used/are using these outrageously priced drugs and supposedly all will be wonderful if you will just 'ask your doctor' if this product is right for you. (I would expect my doctor to know without me asking, but that's another story.) Then comes the disclaimer telling you about possible side effects. Just about every thing could be listed as a possible side effect, up to and including death!

Other commercials promise you such convenience to use their products. If only you take this drug for osteoporosis, you won't have to set aside time every week to take a pill. I wonder just how long does it take to take one pill?

What about all the car commercials! There is one showing a pickup truck hauling a boxcar out of a steep canyon. Well, maybe, but I have my doubts unless of course the boxcar is made of balsa wood or some other substance almost lighter than air. Another shows a truck stopping an airplane and not a little one either. I rather suspect the pilot has something to do with stopping that plane.

There is supposed to be something called 'Truth in Advertising'. I think the real truth is 'Don't believe it'! (But maybe I should order that memory pill!)

Martha